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It Has Run Its Course
So this is farewell, of a sort. I've chosen to stop posting here regularly. It's not because of any person or persons, nothing so trite. It's just time for a change, to paraphrase the likely new president.
It's been nearly 23 months, and in that time I can't say I've seen much improvement in my writing. What I think I'll take away from this blog is the firm commitment to conservatism that has developed over the last two years. I've internalized a healthy mistrust of large government, which takes you pretty far. If you ask yourself whether something can be done on a local or state level rather than federal, that's your inner conservative. I've learned to trust that impulse.
I'll still be here, of course. I'll be reading people and making comments, and if anyone should comment on one of my past entries I'll certainly respond. But I think I've run out of things to say.
The biggest breakthrough for me in the course of writing these entries has been the realization that anyone who takes the time to write their opinion down and publish it on the Internet has no interest in changing said opinion. I used to think I could change people's minds here, but I've abandoned that hope.
Perhaps I'm wrong to think that way, but as a cynic I am rarely disappointed.
Goodbye, and Godspeed to those who stay.
Here are a few posts that I thought were particularly worth reading. Some are worth it for the content, others the commentary discussions.
Proper Execution? Dec. 30, 2006
QOTD: Happy President's Day! Feb. 20, 2007
Damn the Senate! Mar. 27, 2007
Virginia Tech Massacre. Let's Talk. April 22, 2007
For All You Non-Interventionists Out There. Jul. 23, 2007
The Benefit of the Doubt. Jan. 22, 2008
Saw McCain Today. Feb. 8, 2008
Barack Obama's Appeal Is...What, Exactly? Feb. 18, 2008
Not Public, But if I Change One Setting it Will Be. Feb. 25, 2008
Sex, Violence, Profanity are Fine, but Don't You Dare Pretend to be Another Race. Mar. 7, 2008
Bigotry and the Common Blog. Apr. 3, 2008
The Impossible Obama. May 9, 2008
The Obama Supporter and You Or, How to Succeed at Voting Without Really Thinking. Aug. 28, 2008
There are a bunch of other posts on random topics. Feel free to browse.
Comments
Well darn. I'll miss your insights.
Take care, but I understand. I have slowed down my Voxing as I just havn't had the things to say.
I am quite happy with that.
Thanks. I may put together a new blog soon, and if so I'd certainly inform everyone here.
Thanks mom. You are a tough nut to crack. In fact I think this is the first time I've ever actually convinced you of anything. The law of averages was with me, though.
We'll see about coming back. Current plan is to keep making comments when I can.
We've never quite gotten along, but I trust that you know it wasn't personal.
You're always welcome to join up on Wordpress. You'll get a link from me, no questions asked.
God, W, I was such a nerd. Don't remind me. All the times I could have been at Boar's Nest instead...
Dangerous, dangerous.
A link it will be!
(Unless you want to guest post sometime...)
That could be pretty interesting.
You did change some minds though, even though some may not admit it. On some things i disagreed with you completely but i have to admit that the last time i debated with you, you made me rethink at least one position I had and in the future my thoughts on that will be tinged with what you said.
It saddens to me to know you no longer want to write. I suspect that it is party because of the results tonight. I have often read your posts and rarely replied just because I have felt your positions, regardless of whether or not I have agreed with them, were justifiable. The lone exception being your evaluation of Obama's intrepretation of foreign affairs being "inept" in light of so many generals and foreign service members, including a high ranking member of the CIA who spoke at our office recently and was a case officer in Iraq and Afganistan, who feel that Obama's ideas on foreign affairs have significant merit.
I have often wondered if you viewed the landscape from the same wall street vantage point that I have along with my extensive study of the great depression, would sway your opinion. I have witnessed directly the craziness of a republican party that was supposed to be about one thing and frankly failed to live up to that potential.
Regardless, I hold out hope that the factions of the republican party that have caused it to be the pathetic excuse of a party it is today will be cleansed by these results and will rebuild and we can end up with another Reagan or Goldwater.
That is why I am not afraid of an Obama presidency. Also that I hope, although am pessimistic that they will, that the typical sore loser republicans will support Obama for the long term benefit of the country.
Absolutely. I'm not closing the account so you can still reach me through here, or I can PM my e-mail to you.
The more I think about this, the more I wish you wouldn't do it. Barack Obama won the presidency by a large electoral range, but the popular vote was very close. We are still a divided country. We will remain so unless Conservatives and Liberals decided to make a combined effort to live with each other. It's like a marriage. One has to decide one wants it to work and sometimes one needs some outside help in understanding the other person's point of view to compromise and go on living with the other, fully knowing that each has conceded some in order to maintain a working and loving relationship.
There were so many times in this wonderful marriage that I share with my husband that we were both ready to throw in the towel because we just didn't 'get' the other. When he left for a while for work, (at a time when it was very opportune) I missed him so, that I was determined that no matter what, we would find a way to compromise.
The last couple of months, reading your blog, I have learned about about how the 'other side' feels and some of the reasons. It has changed my perception remarkably. At the very least, it has taught me not to judge as harshly, it has taught me to be more patient and openminded when I don't agree with someone.
It's one of life's ironies, Scio, that I would have learned all of this from you, don't you think? You know, I wrote a book about which has such an underlying theme of xenophobia and its detriments. Yes, I thought I had conquered that enough to write about it. . Well, perhaps I have with people who come from different backgrounds and places, but it was listening to the conservative side of things that made me realise I still have ways to go in regards to tolerance.
For that reason, why don't you stay? So you can continue to get people fired up, but at the same time, force them to try to see another perspective? Why don't you do the same for yourself? You might never change your mind about the things you believe, but at the very least you will develop a skill for listening to other perspectives, developing a way to express your ideas to them in a way that doesn't close a door, but keeps one open,for both you and them. You will need that practice when you have kids, I promise you!
I for one, will be very sorry not to be able to sneak over here, get your take on what's happening in our country, in the world, often huff about, often rant to my husband about it, but always, always, THINK about it.
So I hope you will rethink this decision, because it has been worthwhile reading what you write.And I will miss it.
Anyway, I'm glad you're at least leaving your options open and not deleting your account. Just come on back and hit that "Create" button the first time Barry does something to rub your fur the wrong way. I honestly appreciate hearing the conservative side of things from the rational, less quarrelsome members of the Republican party. The places from which I can count on getting that are cut in half if you stop writing.
If a majority of Americans would grasp this concept, I think our country would be a completely different place.